A three-year-old boy who was thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo has undergone seven operations, his family has revealed. The incident occurred on June 18, when a 30-year-old man from Norfolk allegedly threw the child into the enclosure. The man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and later bailed. He reportedly has learning difficulties and was on a trip with carers; an investigation into his care has been launched.
Family updates on boy's condition
In an update shared on a fundraising page on Wednesday, the child's family thanked supporters and said the boy is now 'talking to the nurses, playing using his feet and smiling again.' The post, written by the boy's grandmother, stated that his parents remain at his side in a Cambridge hospital. 'Today our son had his seventh surgery. In that surgery, the surgeons completed a nerve graft on his left arm. They harvested a nerve from his leg to replace part of the nerve that was missing in his left arm. Over time, this nerve will hopefully embed and help our son to regain some function in his left hand. We won't know whether the nerve graft has been successful until tests can be carried out in a few months' time,' the family wrote.
Details of the initial surgery
The most recent update provided further details on the boy's care, including a 12-hour operation on the day of the incident. 'Shortly after we arrived (in hospital on June 18), our son underwent a 12-hour surgery where the surgeons performed miraculous things. They were faced with tendon damage, nerve damage, blood vessel damage, broken bones and severe tissue damage in both his arms, neck, head and face. Those were the worst 12 hours of our lives, as before that we were signing consent forms involving resuscitation and amputation. We were unsure if our son was going to make it and that was the worst feeling in the world,' the post said.
Recovery and fundraising
'Four weeks later, and the cheeky little boy that we love so much is talking to the nurses, playing using his feet and smiling again. We are amazed at how far he has come,' the family added. Once home, the boy will need rehabilitation both physically and psychologically. The family signed off by thanking people for their support, saying they are 'forever grateful.' More than £68,000 has been donated to the fundraising campaign to date.
